Revue de presse du 27 avril 2017

A news organization teleSUR has quoted the Prime Minister of Dominica as saying that the Secretary General Organisation of American States should be sacked. He also went on to say that the organization should not allow the head to bypass his functions. Skerrit was reacting to the constant attacks against Venezuela by Almagro.

A prominent lawyer is now adding her voice to the back and forth between the Opposition Leader and the Prime Minister regarding accountability by state-owned companies, in particular the IADC which was established to oversee the construction of the Argyle International Airport. Kay Bacchus-Baptiste says that the Prime Minister is wrong when he says that he has no legal obligation to submit the accounts of that company before Parliament.

The annual subvention to the Saint Lucia National Trust in the amount of $700,000 was removed from the current Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, and Prime Minster Chastanet has made it clear that the withdrawal has nothing to do with politics. He says that the move is to do with the re-engineering that he has been talking about.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that the much-debated construction of an international airport will cost an estimated US$220 million. He also went on further to mention that a loan for this type of undertaking is inconceivable and will definitely place a tremendous burden on tax payers. The Government intends to establish an Airport Development Fund and a monthly percentage of the Citizenship by Investment funds will go towards that Fund, so as to execute this project.

Following criticisms levelled at the Caribbean Court of Justice by an attorney at law who is also a citizen of Dominica over its decision in a case where persons who were due to perform at a concert were denied entry into the country, the OECS Bar Association is now adding its voice to the issue. The attorney says that the CCJ is in the pockets of the politicians and claims that it is corrupt. He implies that, prior to the court’s decision ; the case was indeed discussed between the President of the CCJ, Sir Denis Byron and Prime Minister Skerrit during a CARICOM conference.

The Government of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and of the Republic of China (Taiwan) last week signed two agreements concerning police cooperation and immigration affairs. The Prime Minister who is also the Minister responsible for National Security signed on behalf of the Government of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.

The last lap of campaigning is on between the two final candidates to earn the seat of the French Presidency, and the polls are suggesting that the underdog Marine Le Pen has made a more impressive start over his opponent Emmanuel Macron when she took a fishing boat ride on Thursday. Two polls are suggesting a slight dip in support for the centrist candidate. Macron also took to social media to inform the people that while she enjoys her fishing expedition, fisheries in France will end if France is to exit the EU, as she proposes.

After two hours of talks in Luxembourg on Thursday, the Maltese minister , says that the European Union ministers have agreed on the guidelines for negotiating with Britain on its exit from the body. They will again meet after the British elections scheduled on 8 June to endorse the guidelines.

In an effort to boost the manufacturing sector as recommended by the government, The President of the Dominica Manufacturing Association has announced the possible establishment of a Buy Dominica Supercentre in the French neighbouring islands. However, he noted that the goods which are to be exported to the said centre must be certified by the French authorities.